Vacuum and boiler feed apparatus



H. A. YOUNG.

VACUUM AND BUILER FEED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.27,1921.

1,395,624. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

UNITED STATES iarENT oFFICE.

HOWARD A. YOUNG, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VACUUM AND BOILER FEED APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Applicationnled January 27, 1921. Serial No. 440,403.

withdrawn is delivered under pressure to a' boiler, feed water heater or other preferred ap aratus.

ne of the primary objects of this invention is to produce an apparatus of the character indicated, which will be simple in construction, eicient and reliable in operation, one in which no back pressure will be created in the reservoir or tank in which the Water of condensation is .,collected, and one which will comprise means for positively withdrawing the surplus water from the reservoir, and discharging it under pressure into a boiler, or the like, said means being adapted to be effective only when a predetermined quantity of water has accumulated in the tank.

.Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent as the same become better understood, by reference to the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an eleva-tion looking toward the right at the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,

By reference to the drawings, it will be observed that my apparatus comprises a tank 5, adapted to receive air, gases, and water of condensation, the tank being provided with a vent 6 at the top thereof through which the air and gases escape to the atmosphere, thus precluding the production of a pressure within the tank. A pump 7 of the centrifugal type, is mounted near the base of the tank and operated by a shaft 8, which receives power from a motor 9, or other suitable source of power. The pump 7 is connected with the lower portion of the tank by an inlet pipe 11, and the discharge pipe 12 leading therefrom delivers at 13 into the tank near the top thereof. A vacuum producing device 14 consisting of an injector, is interposed in the pipe 12, and its suction side is connected with a. return pipe 15 of asteam heating system, this pipe being equipped with a check valve 16 to re- `vent reverse How through the pipe shou d a partial vacuum be formed in the heating system by condensation, or otherwise.

The pump 7, being continuously operated, withdraws water from the lower portion of the tank and returns it to the upper portion, the water in its passage through the in'ector 14 creating a partial vacuum which withdraws the air, gases, and water of condensation from the return line 15, from whence they are delivered into the tank 5.

Since the water of condensation collects in considerable quantities, particularly in large heating systems, it will be manifest that the water level in the tank 5 will gradually rise from this accumulation of condensation water, and for the purpose of conservin this water by delivering it back to the boiler or to other suitable apparatus in which not only the water itself, but the heat units contained therein will be available for use, I have provided mechanism which will now be described.

Upon the shaft 8, concentrically with the pump 7, I connect a second centrifugal pump 17, which is also connected with the lower portion of the tank through an intake pipe 18, and is adapted to deliver its discharge through a pipe 19 connected to a boiler, or other` preferred apparatus. The pump 17 is continuously operated, but since it is desirable and necessary to withdraw water from the tank 5 intermittently only, I have equipped the pipe 18 with a shut-off valve` 21 adapted to be operated by a lever 22, which is connected by a link 23 with an arm 24 fixed to a rock-shaft 25, to which is connected a fioat 26 disposed within the tank through the intermediary of an arm 27. The rising and falling of this float opens and closes the valve 21, and thus controls the withdrawal of water from the tank 5 by the pump 17.

In the operation of this apparatus, the pump 7 continuously circulates water from the bottom of the tank 5, and returns it tov the top thereof, creating a vacuum in the return line 15, as previously explained, and delivering air, gas and water of condensation from the system into the tank. The air' and gas escape through the vent 6, while the water accumulates therein, and when the level has risen to a predetermined point, the float 26 is moved upwardly, thus through the connections operated thereby opening the valve 21 so as to permit withdrawal of the water from the tank 5 by the pump 17, and the delivery of this water under pressure through the pipe 19 to a boiler, or the like. When the water level in the tank 5 has fallen so thatthe valve 21 is closed by the float 26, the pump 17 will idle, and since it is doing no work, very little power is required to reyolve it.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that I have provided an apparatus which not only withdraws the air, gases, and water of condensation from a heating system, but also separates the air and gas from the water and automatically delivers the accumulated water under pressure back to the boiler, where it may be utilized. The invention is simple in construction, eflicient and durable in operation, and is entirely automatic. The detailsof construction of the apparatus are, of course, capable of wide modification with out departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank, means for delivering gases and water of condensation from a heating system to said tank, a pump connected with the tank, and means controlled by the water level in said tank for admittingwater from the tank to said pump, whereby such surplus water is delivered under pressure to a boiler or the like.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, tlhe combination of a tank open to atmosphere 'and adapted to receive gases and water of condensation from a heating system, means for withdrawing gases and water of condensation from the heating system, comprising a pump connected with the lower portion of said tank, a discharge pipe from the pump connected with the upper portion of said tank and a vacuum producing device interposed in said discharge pipe,

a second pump connected with the lower' portion of said tank, and means' controlled by the water level in said tank for permitting a iow of water from the tank to said second pump when the water in the tank reaches a predetermined height, said second pump being adapted to deliver said water under pressure to a boiler or the like.

3. In an apparatus of the character` described, the combination of a tank, a pump .having its intake connected with the lower portion of said tank and its discharge connected with the upper portion thereof, a return pipe from a heating system, a vacuum lproducing device connected with said repermitting said second pump to idle when l the water level in said tank is below a predetermined height.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination of a tank normally open to atmosphere, a return pipe from a heating system, means for withdrawing from said pipe gases and water of condensation, means for withdrawing water from said tank and delivering the same under pressure to a boiler or the like, and a float-controlled valve interposed between said means and said tank whereby delivery of water from said tank to said means is permitted only when the water level in said tank reaches a predetermined height.

HOWARD A. YOUNG. 

